Well…summer is upon us! At the Jersey Shore, this means multitudes will be swarming to the beaches to soak up the sun, ride the waves, eat/play at the boardwalk and so much more. Summer also means grilling outside, having people over, swimming, sports, camps and taking vacation(s). Summer can be a busy time. Summer can also be another excuse for putting God on the back-burner and giving Him second best…or not much at all.
Every season has its purpose and time (Ecclesiastes 3). But every season also has its distractions and temptations. In every season we can find excuses for not seeking God with all our heart and serving Him with all our strength. Winter is too cold, spring is too nice, summer is too hot, fall is too beautiful (and school is starting back up). Each season we can say we are too busy and have too much planned (Luke 9:59-62, Luke 14:16-24). Each season of life we can likewise excuse ourselves: when we are young, we are “too young” or have too much schoolwork/jobs to do. When we are out of the house, we have our career to pursue or marriage to tend to or family to raise. When we are older, well, we are no longer young and don’t have the energy we once had or ability to do what we used to be able to do. Every season in a year…and in every season of life we can find an excuse to not put God first, give Him our best and serve Him wholeheartedly.
Or…in every season…and every season of life we can choose to honor God and give Him our best in all things and serve Him with all our strength as we seek Him with all our heart. 1 Corinthians 10:31 for example says: “So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.” This is not to say it is ok to do whatever you want to do…for this goes on to say in the next verses: “Do not cause anyone to stumble, whether Jews, Greeks or the church of God— even as I try to please everybody in every way. For I am not seeking my own good but the good of many, so that they may be saved. Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.” The point is that in every season of life and every activity of life we should do it all for the glory of God and good of others…not ourselves.
Colossians 3:17 says: “And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”
Colossians 3:23-25 goes on to say: “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.”
And Proverbs 16:3 says: “Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and your plans will succeed.”
So long as what we do is in line with God’s will and we do it unto Him, for His glory and good of others, God will bless us as we honor Him in everything and every activity.
But there is more than being faithful to do all we do unto the Lord. There is our work or activities which we should do unto the Lord; but then there is His work that we should be doing in serving Him. We are to serve Him in all things we do, our work and His work, but there is a difference. For example 1 Corinthians 15:58 says: “Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.” 1 Corinthians 16:10 says: “If Timothy comes, see to it that he has nothing to fear while he is with you, for he is carrying on the work of the Lord, just as I am.”
We are called as believers to do the work of the Lord in the sense of serving/edifying His people (the church) with the spiritual gifts He has given us (Romans 12:4-8, 1 Corinthians 12), telling others the Good News of the Gospel (evangelism), making disciples (Matthew 28:18-20), and offering “spiritual sacrifices” unto the Lord.
For example, 1 Peter 2:4-5 says: “As you come to him, the living Stone — rejected by men but chosen by God and precious to him—you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.”
Hebrews 13:15-16 says: “Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise — the fruit of lips that confess his name. And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.”
And God calls us to serve Him with all our heart (Deuteronomy 10:12), giving Him our best and all…not left-overs. Yet this seems to be the attitude of many: “If I have time left in my busy schedule, I’ll make time for God.” Or “I am too busy right now in this season of life to serve the Lord…it would be too much of a burden.”
This sounds too close to the attitude of those in the book of Malachi. Read carefully God’s rebuke in chapter 1 verses 6-14 of Malachi to the Israelites (His people) in that day:
“A son honors his father, and a servant his master. If I am a father, where is the honor due me? If I am a master, where is the respect due me?” says the Lord Almighty. “It is you, O priests, who show contempt for my name.
“But you ask, ‘How have we shown contempt for your name?’
“You place defiled food on my altar.
“But you ask, ‘How have we defiled you?’
“By saying that the Lord’s table is contemptible. When you bring blind animals for sacrifice, is that not wrong? When you sacrifice crippled or diseased animals, is that not wrong? Try offering them to your governor! Would he be pleased with you? Would he accept you?” says the Lord Almighty.
“Now implore God to be gracious to us. With such offerings from your hands, will he accept you?”-says the Lord Almighty.
“Oh, that one of you would shut the temple doors, so that you would not light useless fires on my altar! I am not pleased with you,” says the Lord Almighty, “and I will accept no offering from your hands. My name will be great among the nations, from the rising to the setting of the sun. In every place incense (prayer) and pure offerings will be brought to my name, because my name will be great among the nations,” says the Lord Almighty.
“But you profane it by saying of the Lord’s table, ‘It is defiled,’ and of its food, ‘It is contemptible.’ And you say, ‘What a burden!’ and you sniff at it contemptuously,” says the Lord Almighty.
“When you bring injured, crippled or diseased animals and offer them as sacrifices, should I accept them from your hands?” says the Lord. “Cursed is the cheat who has an acceptable male in his flock and vows to give it, but then sacrifices a blemished animal to the Lord. For I am a great king,” says the Lord Almighty, “and my name is to be feared among the nations.
Is serving God and offering spiritual sacrifices (and living as a living sacrifice: Romans 12:1-2) a burden to you? It ought to be our greatest joy and privilege! God is looking for willing, cheerful, wholehearted obedience and service!
Secondly, are you giving God your best and first…or left-overs and last? God has given you His best, His first, His only and His own Son. So does He get the best and first of your time, service and energy…or whatever you have left after you do what you have planned? He would rather have your best or nothing…but not your left-overs! Giving God left-overs is more insulting and pretentious than giving Him nothing! Jesus said in Matthew 15:8-9, quoting from the prophet Isaiah, “‘These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain.” May it not be true of us and if it is, let us acknowledge it and repent of it and give Him the honor and worship He deserves!
Our priority should be putting Christ first (Matthew 10:37-39).
We are to seek first His kingdom and righteousness (Matthew 6:33).
And we are to serve Him wholeheartedly (Deuteronomy 10:12), joyfully and gladly/willingly (Deuteronomy 28:47).
I encourage you this summer (and in every season of life)…don’t give God your left-overs…give Him you first and best and all. Do all you do for His glory…but also make sure you are faithful to serve Him in the work of the Lord…joyfully and willingly. Let’s be among those where God’s name is shown to be great and the honor He deserves is received!
Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 Biblica. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved.
Ben Foley 